After making the second All-Star appearance of his career in February, he tumbled down the NBA's hierarchy over the coming months. The player manning the middle to start Indiana's playoff run simply wasn't the same one who anchored the interior during the winter, as Basketball-Reference's All-Star splits highlight.

Tracking Roy Hibbert's Dramatic Decline

PPG

FG%

RPG

BPG

Off Rtg

Def Rtg

Pre-All-Star Break

11.8

46.4

7.7

2.5

104

95

Post-All-Star Break

8.9

39.0

4.7

1.8

88

106

Basketball-Reference.com

His postseason averages show a mild recovery (9.3 points on 45.1 percent shooting, 5.6 rebounds), but his playoff run was essentially an unpredictable series of highs and lows. He had nine games with double-digit points but was held under five points six different times (including four scoreless outings). He grabbed at least eight rebounds on six different occasions but had another six games with two or fewer (including two without a single board).

As one person with knowledge of the situation put it: 'It divided the locker room big time.' The Pacers didn't become one of the best teams in the league on talent alone. Their chemistry—until about February—was a strong bond that appeared unbreakable. But Hibbert, according to sources, defied a core belief of the team, which is to keep dirty laundry in-house.

So it's more predictable than shocking that Hibbert and the Pacers would be open to the idea of change.

The hard part of this equation is identifying a landing spot for the expensive, slumping big man, as NBC Sports' Brett Pollakoff noted:

Not only does Hibbert have two years and $30 million remaining on his current contract, but the second year is a player option—meaning he can opt out of his deal following next season to become an unrestricted free agent.

Teams don’t give up real assets in exchange for one-year rentals, especially for guys like Hibbert who just came off of a season playing so far below the value on that contract.

In other words, Hibbert presents something of a lose-lose scenario for any potential suitor.

If he rediscovers his form, he could opt out of his contract in 2015 and take his talents elsewhere. If he struggles again next season, he could put a heavy, $15.5 million burden on someone's payroll for the 2015-16 campaign by playing out his deal.

USA TODAY Sports

So as badly as these sides may desire putting an end to this relationship, they could still break camp together this fall. Not that long ago, that would have been good news for the Pacers. Maybe after spending a summer apart, it could wind up being that once again.